Where are (or were) the crowds?????

[Madonna3]

Just to put prices in perspective - I just got back from 2 days at Busch Gardens Williamsburg Christmas Town. I was able to buy tickets (as a non-passholder) for $16/person and parking for 7 days for $25 total. My hotel (Embassy Suites) was $100/night. It cost me so little that I paid for reserved seating for Elvis Stojko's Twas That Night show, and I paid to have a PPO lunch with Santa and Mrs Clause (which included a show, an unlimited buffet with beverages and dessert, and personal pictures with the elves, Mrs Clause, and Santa)...and I still paid under $1K for 6 people for the trip (gas, all food including all park eating, tickets, parking, hotel). While it was a touch cold (although one day was gorgeous), and the rides are more Six Flags than Disney (especially since they can't open them all for weather)...the shows (5 of them) are on par with Disney shows and scream Christmas 365, the rides could be reridden without waiting for hours, and the gorgeous lights and music of Christmas everywhere outshine Disney's free in-park decorations...so, when I ask the fam what they prefer, they told me Busch Gardens, hands down. And how can I not agree, when 2 days to enter Disney parks without ANY OTHER COST would already be over $1200 for us...

I hear ya. I REALLY want to go to DCA. I started pricing out a birthday trip in February for just me and hubby. Right now, airfare is ridiculously cheap and only $97 each way from MCO to LAX. So, with upgrades and checked bags, airfare comes out to about $790 for 2 adults. Hotel and tickets for THREE DAYS add on another $1200 (if I stay in a hotel across the street. It's $1600-$1800 if I want to stay on property), as my husband pointed out to me, $400 PER DAY (or more if we stayed on property) for two people and we haven't even eaten yet. This has become an extremely hard sell to him right now when we can go so many other places for less than $1000 and get more luxury out of the deal.

 

[jade1]

Another great night, DHS. FP RNR/TOT/Frozen (hilarious). Fished the morning.

Star wars Fireworks, Jingle Bam then Fantasmic at 930, 5 min of rain left it very empty, center section almost to ourselves. Although we prefer packed actually.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Another great night, DHS. FP RNR/TOT/Frozen (hilarious). Fished the morning.

Star wars Fireworks, Jingle Bam then Fantasmic at 930, 5 min of rain left it very empty, center section almost to ourselves. Although we prefer packed actually.

View attachment 212213

That's Christmas week at Disney? Man, Disney may have a more serious problem at the little sisters than I thought...

 

[DisneyRobin]

I'm here now and it's been extremely crowded at all parks!! Ugh!

Last night was great because it started to pour and there was a mass exodus. Luckily, we had our rain jackets and stayed!

 

[Lightsoutx12]

That rain came out of no where but I bet the parks emptied out fairly quickly. Sometimes the rain is actually a good thing!

 

[Madonna3]

That's Christmas week at Disney? Man, Disney may have a more serious problem at the little sisters than I thought...

I went to Fantasmic! on Christmas Day and what this poster experienced was the same experience I had. 9:30 show was only half full. I thought it was just because maybe people didn't know about the second show and headed home after the fireworks.

Hmm... Guess it is lower this year or people are just not going to DHS and are over at MK. I would have loved to have seen a pic from MK around the same time or know what wait times were.

 

[dreiwhit]

Sorry for the language but it sucks, because i'm truely a Disney fan (so is my wife) and it frustates me to see those prices. Back in 2010-2012, a trip to WDW was a no brainer for us, it fitted our budget (even under sometimes) and now it is way over.

Nothing to be sorry for - I agree with you 100%. Like you, I am also a Disney fan.

On our last trip in November, we stayed off property, used a discount I get through my job for tickets and lodging, got a great deal on a rental car for 9 days (we drove), ate breakfast and lunch in the condo, cashed in every credit card reward, and even opened up a Disney Visa account to get $250 in gift cards. Using every discount and money saving technique that we had, our vacation to Disney still cost about $2500 total. That may not seem like much, but normally we would take a vacation and spend about $1000 total for everything. Yeah, it was good to get away. Yeah, we had fun. But I keep thinking about what we could do or could have done with the money that we spent at Disney. I'm just not able to get over that.

We're not planning on going back until 2019. But with the cost of everything Disney going up, I'm not 100% sure we will be able to afford it then.....

 

[jade1]

Holiday wishes had a new years eve ending, pretty close to the new years eve park ending.

Another Huge improvement.

Will see if it clears out a bit better than last year for the midnight preview.

 

[kmkDisney279]

It was very crowded it but it was bearable! My family and I went during Christmas week three years ago and that was insane! We mainly did Magic kingdom when it was open later this trip and mainly went to the parks for our FP reservations. From what I saw it was mellow at the parks compared to other year..

 

[Q-man]

There's a third argument of course - though I think it unlikely to be true: Crowd control. They up-priced with the intention of lowering the crowds at the busier times of the year. IF you can make the same money from less people it allows for less expenses as well. Not saying I believe this one, but it IS possible.

And get more return business out of a better experience would be another factor.

People are willing to pay $100 a head for the Xmas party why wouldn't they pay and extra $30 a head for a full day of lower crowds? I'd pay it in a heart beat. It would be kinda like Universal selling their fast pass option but without selling it as head of the line privileges but as crowd control pricing.

 

[atricks]

No phase closures at all this year so far, today (New Years Eve) is the only shot left. The only park closure for Disney this year was for Hurricane Matthew in October.

In 2015 during December, the only phase closures were on the 26th and 31st.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

And get more return business out of a better experience would be another factor.

People are willing to pay $100 a head for the Xmas party why wouldn't they pay and extra $30 a head for a full day of lower crowds? I'd pay it in a heart beat. It would be kinda like Universal selling their fast pass option but without selling it as head of the line privileges but as crowd control pricing.

If it were a "boutique" clientele...I could see it.

But the place is built and has the operating costs of a MASS market.

They could charge $600 a day...but that 1200 people in the park each day would lead straight to bankruptcy.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

No phase closures at all this year so far, today (New Years Eve) is the only shot left. The only park closure for Disney this year was for Hurricane Matthew in October.

In 2015 during December, the only phase closures were on the 26th and 31st.

...but what a great value!!! I'd glad pay double the price for all those magical dreams, surcharges to look up at the granddaddy of fireworks, VIP cabanas on concrete, and $150 nightly upcharges to see a tiny little fiberglass castle 1.5 miles away from the tonga building at the Poly...

Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore"

 

[jade1]

No phase closures at all this year so far, today (New Years Eve) is the only shot left. The only park closure for Disney this year was for Hurricane Matthew in October.

In 2015 during December, the only phase pclosures were on the 26th and 31st.

Yep and we're paying less than last year. Love it.



The 7pm fireworks having a nye finalle really cleared a lot of crowd.

NYE space in the hub was much more available compared to last year.

Walked the bridge after our space Mt fp at 1140 and it was basically empty.

Just stopped by a fountain and had a perfect view.

Getting out after was much easier as well.

 

[rteetz]

Yep and we're paying less than last year. Love it.

Question for you. How are you paying less? DVC? Less dining? You can't be paying less in tickets because those went up since last year.

 

[danikoski]

Just checked wait times on the MDE app...Those times are looking pretty long... Figments up to 45 minutes at 11:15 am...Land was 50 min...

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Yep and we're paying less than last year. Love it.

Can someone post the link to the article that describes the price reductions...and when they reopened 6 attractions in mgm and EPCOT, please?

 

[TwoMisfits]

Maybe he got the 13 month APs at the same price as the 12 month ones...that's about the only way to pay "less" on the tickets...

 

[jade1]

Maybe he got the 13 month APs at the same price as the 12 month ones...that's about the only way to pay "less" on the tickets...

Bingo.

 

[rteetz]

Maybe he got the 13 month APs at the same price as the 12 month ones...that's about the only way to pay "less" on the tickets...

Bingo.

I don't really consider that paying less. You are paying the same but you got an extra month thrown in. If you were actually paying a lower price now that's different.